Cllr stole €172K from charity for sex and drugs parties

A FORMER council chairman who stole €172,120 from a charity and spent the money on male escorts and drugs was jailed yesterday.

- BY NICOLA DONNELLY

Sean McKiernan, 44, who led Cavan County Council, ripped off Navan Mental Health Housing Association LTD and bought crystal meth and GHB and hired prostitutes.

Jailing him for three years and nine months with the final 12 months suspended, Judge Jonathan Dunphy said: "It is a serious breach of trust to a number of vulnerable people as an employee of a charity."

Trim Circuit Court heard the thief has had self-esteem and mental health issues since his teenage years. It also heard he is "deeply ashamed".

McKiernan, of Trinity Bungalow, Virginia Road, Bailieborough, Cavan, admitted 11 sample counts of theft between March 2019 and April 2020.

Detective Garda Sean Patterson told prosecutor Kitty Perle that videos recovered from McKiernan's phone showed him smoking a crack pipe in bed with an individual and instructing that person to perform a sex act.

The court heard he was made secretary and treasurer of the charity and could cosign cheques along with one of two trustees.

In 2019, McKiernan obtained cheques without named recipients, took an entire cheque book and persuaded trustees to sign cheques they believed were for charity.

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